16-70

The 16 gauge has long been a favourite of European hunters: the guns carry lighter than a 12 gauge, recoil is softer, and the power covers most hunting situations. This category holds 16/70 shells with slugs and zinc shot for shotguns with 70 mm chambers. The range includes Zala Arms, Sellier & Bellot and Winchester ammunition.

Who 16/70 shells are for

These shells are for hunters who shoot a 16 gauge smoothbore with a 70 mm or longer chamber. The slug loads cover driven wild boar hunts, while the zinc shot lets you hunt birds in wetlands where lead shot is banned. You can stock up for the whole season in one place. If your shotgun is an older piece, check the chamber marking on the barrel block before ordering: some old 16 gauge guns have 65 mm chambers that do not accept a 70 mm case.

Shell types in this category

The category splits into two groups: slug shells for big game and zinc shot loads for bird hunting. Four products cover distinct field situations, from a shot at a boar crossing a driven line to duck hunting over marshy ground, so it pays to know each load on its own terms.

Zala Arms Zala Sport 28 g slug

A slug shell made in Lithuania with a 28 g projectile. The lighter slug gives softer recoil, so your second shot comes faster. It suits driven hunts and range practice before the season opens.

Winchester Slug Rackmaster 16/67

An American 28 g slug load with a 67 mm case. The shorter case fires safely from a 70 mm chamber, so it fits the guns this category serves. Hunters pick it for stable slug flight from a smooth barrel.

Sellier & Bellot Zinc No. 3, 3.5 mm

A 21 g load with 3.5 mm zinc pellets and no lead. This size works for ducks and birds of similar body weight. Zinc keeps you legal in wetlands and near open water where lead is prohibited.

Sellier & Bellot Zinc 4 mm

The same 21 g zinc load with larger 4 mm pellets. A bigger pellet holds its energy farther out, so choose it for geese or longer passing shots during migration flights.

How to choose a shell

Pick your shell by the game you hunt, your usual shooting distance and the ground you will hunt over. Slugs are for big game, shot is for birds, and wetlands call for loads without lead. Always match the case marking against your chamber length. Work through these steps:

1. Check the chamber length on the barrel: a 70 mm chamber accepts 70 mm and shorter cases.
2. Decide on the game: take a slug for boar, shot for birds.
3. Assess the ground: use zinc shot near water and in wetlands.
4. Match pellet size to the bird: No. 3 for ducks, 4 mm for larger birds and longer range.
5. Fire a few test shots at a pattern board with your own barrel before the season.

Practical field advice

How a shell behaves in the field depends on your barrel and the weather as much as on the load itself. Zinc pellets are harder than lead, so they pattern differently through tight chokes. Test your pattern at 25 and 35 metres before a hunt to learn your real effective range. Keep slug shells in a separate belt or vest pocket from shot loads, and on a driven hunt confirm your load by hand, not from memory. Store ammunition dry: moisture damages primers and powder, and in winter keep shells clear of snow and condensation.

Brands

The category carries ammunition from makers on both sides of the Atlantic. Zala Arms is a Lithuanian producer whose slug shells see wide use on driven hunts here. Sellier & Bellot is a long-established Czech factory known for consistent shell quality, and Winchester is an American brand with a long record in smoothbore ammunition.

If you shoot another gauge, see 12/70 shells or 20/70 shells, and shorter cases live in the 16/67 category. For organising a hunt you may also need signal ammunition. If you are unsure which load fits your gun, write to us and we will advise.